Cole Caufield
| birth_place = Stevens Point, Wisconsin | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 7 | weight_lb = 163 | position = Right Wing | shoots = Right | league = NCAA | team = University of Wisconsin-Madison | former_teams = | ntl_team = | draft = 15th overall | draft_year = 2019 | draft_team = Montreal Canadiens | career_start = TBD }} Cole Caufield (born on January 2, 2001) is an American collegiate ice hockey forward who is currently committed to play with the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Big Ten Conference (B1G). Cole was drafted 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Playing Career Amateur For the 2017–18 season, Cole joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Michigan. He led the NTDP with 54 goals in combined stats of U-17/U-18 squads, which was just behind Auston Matthews' 55 goals from 2014–15. During the 2018–19 season, he played full-time on the NTDP U-18 roster. On March 15, 2019, he scored a career-high six goals on a line with Jack Hughes, when the NTDP defeated Green Bay Gamblers 12–4. In this game, Cole also reached 105 career goals and overshadowed Phil Kessel's achievement from 2003–05 (104 goals). On April 13, 2019, he scored his 56th goal of the season in the exhibition game against Switzerland (that is included in the NTDP regular season statistic), surpassing a single season record for goals. Cole finished the season with 72 goals and held out the goal per game ratio, increasing the NTDP career record to 126 goals (in 123 games) and having career averaged 1.46 points per game. He remained a top prospect among North American skaters (ranked 8th), after he was given an "A" rating on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. On June 21, 2019, Cole was drafted 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Career Statistics Regular season and playoffs International International Play }} Cole represents the United States national team. During the 2017–18 season, he participated in several international tournaments under the age of 17. He participated in the 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he tallied 13 points in six games (eight goals, five assists) to win a gold medal. He was also named to the tournament All-star team, and led the competition in goals. At the 2017 Four Nations Cup in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, Cole appeared in three games, and notched six goals and one assist, while the NTDP U-17 finished first. Early next year, he led the team with 10 points in four games (four goals, six assists) at the 2018 Five Nations Cup in Järvenpää, Finland, where the NTDP U-17 also finished first. At the 2018 IIHF World U-18 Championship the NTDP lost a final game to Finland 2–3. Caufield closed the tournament with six points in seven games, and won a silver medal. For the 2018–19 season, Caufield continued successfully playing internationally. In late 2018 the NTDP U-18 claimed the 2018 Five Nations Cup in Kravaře, Czech Republic, and Caufield notched seven goals and two assists in four games. In the beginning of 2019 the NTDP U-18 finished third in the tables of the 2019 Five Nations Cup in Sochi, Russia, where Cole registered three goals and two assists in four games. On April 23, 2019, Cole scored his 10th and 11th goal for the NTDP in just four games of preliminary round at the 2019 IIHF World U-18 Championship, breaking a record set by Brett Sterling from 2002 and Phil Kessel from 2005 (both with nine goals). On April 27, 2019, he tied Alexander Ovechkin's single tournament goals record (14 goals from 2002) and inscribed his 18 career goals in the national record book of the tournament. However, the NTDP lost a semi-final to Russia 2–3 (in shootouts).16 Next day, the NTDP mined a bronze medal in a win over Canada 5–2. Cole was named the MVP of the championship, as well as Best Forward (directorate award). Finally, he led the competition in goals and made the tournament All-star team. Accolades Records USA Hockey National Team Development Program *Most goals, career: 126 (2017–19) *Most goals, IIHF World U18 Championships: 18 (2018, 2019) *Most goals, regular season: 72 (2018–19) *Most goals, single tournament: 14 (at the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championship) Personal Life Cole is a native of Mosinee, Wisconsin. His older brother, Brock plays for the Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team. His father, Paul Caufield, played for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point from 1988–92 and remains its all-time leading scorer. returned to USWP in 2002 to work as an assistant coach, but resigned in 2006 to assume his current position as manager of Ice Hawks Arena. Cole's grandfather, Wayne Caufield, a member of the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame since 2011, played semi-professional hockey from 1963–76 for numerous teams, most notably the USHL's Milwaukee Admirals, and, following his retirement, spent over two decades coaching youth hockey and managing hockey clinics in the Milwaukee area. He passed away on July 13, 2018. Category:2001 births Category:American ice hockey players Category:American ice hockey right wingers Category:Montreal Canadiens draft picks Category:Wisconsin Badgers players